iron habaki

[Peter Bleed]

Dear Friends,

I am in the very early stages of exploring a newly "found" sword. It presents - be still my heart - many questions. These are why I collect so I look forward to addressing them. The blade - a Hizen Shinto - has an iron habaki. I am not used to seeing these and hope that the deep expertise of the Board can help me understand what - if anything - an iron habaki might mean.

Peter

[tony edmunds]

Hi Peter

I think it means you have a very rare habaki!

I seem to recall a thread on this very topic not so long ago?

 

Tony

[b.hennick]

Hi Pete

I started a thread like that and ended up with an iron habaki. They are indeed rare. If you can add some photos I would appreciate it. I like Hizen to - any info would also be appreciated.

[sanjuro]

Peter.

 

Iron habaki were used on old tachi blades originally, and one needs to go back to the Heian and Kamakura periods to find them used commonly. Since your sword is a Shinto example, my guess is that your iron habaki has been made and fitted to a comparatively newer blade as the result of a special order, possibly to accompany a koshirae of an antiquarian nature.

Without the sword or any koshirae to refer to pictorially, its a bit difficult to do anything but guess of course, but yes, it seems you have a blade that raises one or two fascinating questions.

[Brian]

Here's the original wanted ad: viewtopic.php?f=16&t=14561

 

Brian

[Brian]

Old thread, but saw this today and thought I would add it.

http://kyoto-katana.at.webry.info/

 

Brian